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The Essence of a Gift

Prompt:

"Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed. But still, you find

reasons to keep living." 

 (Princess Mononoke)

It's been months since Ri Jeong Hyeok and Yoon Seri parted ways in the border of North and South Korea.

Ri Jeong Hyeok went back to his home country but misses Seri tremendously. Her absence made a huge impact in the life of all the people Seri met but it's different for the captain. He lived with her. He talked with her. He spent moments with her. He hates how they both live in a country where people cannot meet each other. They cannot even reach each other to communicate through call or chats with the technology of the modern generation.

"I miss you so much, Yoon Seri." The sentence he always utters to himself whenever he'll stare blankly and thoughts will be gone.

Yoon Seri on the other hand, went back to her country and continued working. But after a busy day at work, when her mind is already empty and not thinking about the present, the captain fills in the gap that she always thinks of after ending the work day.

"How is he?"

"Is he safe?"

"Are the others safe?"

"Does he and the others needed to face some punishment?"

"Does he eat on time?"

She always asks herself because she wouldn't what happened after they went their separate ways.

But there is one thing they look forward to- it's the day they'll meet. The day they'll go to Switzerland to see each other again. But nobody knows when that day will be. With no communication with each other, it would be hard for them to send a message that one of them is in Switzerland or at which place they will be. Nobody knows when they'll have each other wrapped in their arms again. They know that it may take years. But there is a thing that helped them keep going. The thing that gave them reason to live- it's their gift to each other.

Ri Jeong Hyeok never forgets to water the tomato plant that Yoon Seri gave him. He also talks to it as if Seri is the one listening and he remembers those days when they listen to each other's stories or just hearing each other's voice. But because of the plant, it somehow helped him get through the longing. He wouldn't even forget the most important thing to do with, the instruction that Seri told him- to say 10 nice words to it everyday.

"Hello! I'm going to work today. There are things that I need to look into so I might be busy the whole day. By the way, I'm gifting you 10 words that I love:

Sea.

Sunlight.

Azalea.

Dewdrop.

Fleecy Cloud.

Calico Cat.

Rose.

Breeze.

First Snow.

Piano.

That's already 10, right?"

He repeated the words again in his mind while his fingers counting each one of them.

"Oh it is already 10. Hmm... can I add one more? It wouldn't affect badly, right? It's actually the one I love most...

Yoon Seri."

Yoon Seri's name brought a big smile on the captain's face, his eyes starting to get watery but he blinked continuously to remove those away.

Back in South Korea, the Edelweiss Flowers that Ri Jeong Hyeok gave to Yoon Seri is what keeps her going. It keeps her company with the misery she's feeling of missing Ri Jeong Hyeok. But it hits more whenever she's alone in his apartment- most especially after work and on the weekends.

"Here's your water." Seri playfully said to the plant like she is talking to a baby.

"It's a tiring day today." She released a sigh.

"Oh but tiring in a good way. Our products boost sales in the past few weeks since we launched the Captain's set." Seri told the great story to the plant with a smile on her face as if she's talking to Ri Jeong Hyeok.

But the smile faded, "I wonder what he's doing right now. I hope he's well."

Yoon Seri looked at the plant and changed the topic.

"Oh I haven't said my 10 nice words, right? Sorry, I was really in a rush earlier. Anyways..."

She raised both of her hands showing his 10 fingers and putting down each of it after each word.

"Ms. Sold Out.

Upper Price Limit.

Stock Option.

Legendary Sales.

Excellent Brand.

High Return.

Going Public On Kosdaq.

The Best In The Field.

Limited-Edition.

Ri Jeong Hyeok."

Her eye-smile appeared again while stating the final word on her list. The name of the person she loves changes her mood and fades away the exhaustion and stress that she felt.